Lone Wolf No More
by AliceRU
Summary: Tragedy once again strikes heaven and Ammy is forced back on Earth, powerless and human. Through finding her lost powers and fighting demons, she finds herself falling in love. (I suck at summaries ayyyy)
1. Chapter 1 - The Black Dawn

Heaven was supposedly the place where she would finally rest and enjoy her newfound freedom and praise as a fully-fledged goddess, and yet all it did was bore her.

Day after day, Amaterasu would sit on her throne and listen as the other gods interceded for the mortals or made requests for themselves- the Celestial Plain was still being reformed, after being destroyed by the Ark of Yamato, and some shrines were still being rebuilt-. If not that, she was visiting the other gods and drinking tea with them, while they ass kissed her in hopes of attaining a higher status among the divine court. It seemed that the only consequence of finally returning to her human form was that now, the gods could also blabber about her beauty. All in all, Amaterasu was bored or frustrated most of the time.

None of the other gods or the Celestials seemed to notice this, apart from her Right Hand. Indeed, the Moon tribe prophet was with her most of the time, being the only reason she hadn't thrown herself off the Plains yet. He was the only one who could amuse her and entertain her, even if only for a bit.

The day another catastrophe shook the Heavens, the gods were giving celebrating, for it was the 105th anniversary of her battle with Orochi, as Shiranui. The heavens were filled with music and laughter as the gods danced and drank with joy, but truthfully, Amaterasu wished she could be in Kamiki, amongst her friends. Waka seemed to notice her sadness, for he sat next to her and patted her hand.

"Not really having fun, are you, ma chérie?" She sighed, resting her head on her hand. "You always get like this when this day comes. It must reminds you a lot of your days as a wolf, non?" She nodded.

"I wish I could go back… at least to see them, just once more…" She confessed, and he nodded.

"I understand your sorrow, mon bijoux, but you have to understand, you are their goddess, their protector, and they need you here, watching over them from above." She sighed again, closing her eyes and imagining she was there. When she turned to look at Waka again, there was a wild gleam in her eyes, one she hadn't seen in a while.

"You've seen something, haven't you?" She exclaimed, and he gave her a smirk.

"Oui. It seems I have a new prophecy for you, chérie." She sat straighter in her throne, looking at him with hope and excitement. He turned his face down, his eyes hidden by his blonde bangs. "I foresee a grim return and the blooming of love!" Amaterasu frowned, both parts of the prophecy confusing her. It was then that the first earthquake shook the heavens, and the gods, in their surprise, ceased their dance and music. The goddess stood up, just in time for the second earthquake, in which she had to hold onto her throne so as not to fall. From cracks and openings in the walls and ceiling, demons began pouring into the room. By then, the gods began panicking. She ran outside her palace, where the festivities had been held, only to be met with a tall, black figure that towered above the palace. It had the shape of an 8-headed dragon.

"No. No, not you again, this can't be!" she yelled at the creature, which only laughed at her.

"You should have learned, worthless goddess, that evil never truly dies." She growled at Orochi. "While I attack the Celestial Plain, my servants are down on Earth, killing every single one of your friends! This time, I will destroy you!" It lunged at her, but Waka shoved her out of the way before he got to her. She summoned her blade Kusanagi and jumped forward.

"Waka, make sure everyone's safe! He turned to her with shock in his eyes, Pillow Talk already in hand.

"But, Ama-"she raised her hand.

"Don't argue with me! I can deal with him by myself!" He scowled and ran back inside. She once again faced the beast. "We had finally built everything back up! We finally managed to get back on our feet! How dare you come back and disturb everything we've done?!" She yelled, lunging forward and striking Orochi. With a swipe of one of his heads, part of the palace was brought down. Amaterasu growled again, realizing she couldn't fight him there without destroying the palace. As the main head tried to strike her again, she rolled back and ran away, leading him far from the castle. He came after her, but with him came a thousand other demons. She managed to take a few of them down, but more took their place. Two of the dragon's heads took advantage of her opening and bit down on her shoulders. She howled in pain, and Orochi laughed. She tried backing away, and scowled upon realizing she had been trapped on the edge of a cliff, and below her was the mortal world. An idea popped in her mind and she smirked.

"If I'm going down, I'm bringing you with me!" With a forceful shove, she freed her arms, but the dragon's sharp teeth left large wounds, almost tearing them off. With a fast movement, Amaterasu dipped her fingers in the ink she carried in containers on her belt and drew many slashed circles. As she drew them, bombs appeared around them. Orochi growled in surprise, and just as they exploded, he used his powers to take her techniques away- but it was too late. The explosion was enough to cause the cliff to collapse, bringing down Orochi and his demons but also Amaterasu, now powerless and hurt. As they plummeted down to Earth, she blacked out.

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 **Hey, you! Wow, is someone actually reading this? Amazing. anyway, this was more of a prologue (obvs). I'm not sure how where I'm going with this yet, but stick around and we'll see, right?**


	2. Chapter 2 - The White Omen

**Ayyyyyy here we are again. How you doing? Anyway, this is where the story really starts I suppose. By the way, if you see any errors or misspellings please let me know.**

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It was another uneventful day in Kamui. Since the departure of the Ark of Yamato five years past, the land had gone back to its usual calm state. Though the weather was still cold and the snow still covered the land, now it was nothing that the Oina couldn't deal with.

Since he made peace with Samickle, Oki had agreed to serve Wep'keer as its guardian, still living away from the village but now ensuring they were safe from any attacks, be it from animal or demon. It was strange, being so well-received by people that once hated him, but he had after all stolen Kutone, the sacred sword. Now that the twin demons were gone and it was back in its place, he was once again welcomed in Wep'keer. He would never admit it, but being treated as a friend once again warmed his heart. Because of that, he now had the habit of stopping by and visiting the rest of the Oina from time to time.

It was in one of such visits that he was approached by Kai as she went to pick some of the food the hunters had brought in. She smiled widely upon seeing him and ran to meet him.

"Oh, hi there, Oki! I'm glad you came to visit again!" He nodded, slightly uncomfortable at the wave of affection she had. "Hey, have you eaten yet?"

"Uhm, no, but-"she interrupted him with an exclamation.

"Why don't you eat with me and Lika then? We'd love to have you with us!" He scratched his head, her excitement slightly intimidating him.

"No, it's okay, I…don't want to trouble you-"

"Oh, but it won't be any trouble, really! I'm sure Lika will be happy to see you too!" Oki sighed, seeing no way out.

"Well, okay then." Kai gasped excitedly and took his hand, leading him to her hut while carrying the food in her other hand. They arrived there and found Lika laying down against the mats, waving her legs in the air.

"Hurry Kaaaai I'm so hungryyyy~" she yelled, turning to the hut's entrance and gasping upon seeing Oki. In one quick movement, she stood up and ran up to him, jumping at him and hugging him. Oki was slightly taken aback, and patted the girl's back until she let go.

"Oki! You came to see me! Are you going to eat with us?" He nodded, chuckling as she did a little happy dance at his answer. Kai laughed, and started cooking the meat she had brought. As she prepared the meal, Lika and Oki played catch outside in their wolf forms.

When the meal was ready, they shifted back into their human forms and sat with Kai around the fire. As they ate, they talked about current events and gossips of the Oina tribe.

"You know," Kai started, "One of the hunters told me an interesting thing today when I got some of his meat. He said he saw a bright flash of light coming from the sky and disappearing into Yoshpet. No one has any idea what it was. Do you think it might be something bad?" Oki thought as he ate.

"I don't know, but I'd better check it out. It might be another demon or something." Kai nodded.

"Do you want me to go with you? I can lead you through the forest, you know." He shook his head.

"No, it's fine. You have to watch over Lika, anyway. If it is a demon or some sort of monster, I'll kill it and come back." She looked at him with worry.

"But what if it's something really strong? Should you really go alone?" He stood up, patting Lika's head.

"I can handle whatever it is, Kai. Don't worry about me. I'll be right back." She nodded slowly, and he waved them goodbye. As soon as he left Wep'keer, Oki shifted into his wolf form and ran to the forest.

Even with the demons gone, Yoshpet was still a dark and menacing forest- not to mention easy to get lost in. Oki ran through the woods, trying to find anything that seemed odd or out of place. Suddenly, the air was covered with the scent of blood. Growling, he followed it to a clearing. There, he found six demons surrounding something white in the middle. He barked angrily at them, but they seemed to be more interested in whatever they were surrounding. He strutted forward and attacked them, one by one. They weren't very strong, and he was done with them in no time. When they were all dead, he turned his attention to the white he had seen. Closing in, he was shocked to see woman. She was naked, but her long white hair did a good job of covering her body; her snow-pale skin was covered in gashes, and two large and nasty bites at her shoulders stood out. As carefully as he could, Oki eased her on his back and ran back to Wep'keer.

He howled loudly upon entering the village, and soon enough Kai and Samickle, upon recognizing his howl, came to meet him. The female Oina gasped as she saw the injured woman on his back, and the male scowled.

"Oki! What happened?! Who is she?!" She exclaimed, watching as Samickle took her from his back. As soon as she was safe in Samickle's arms, Oki shifted back into his human form, huffing at the blood now smeared on his clothes.

"While I ran through Wep'keer, I smelled the scent of blood. I followed it and found this woman being attacked. By demons." By then, more of the Oina had joined them in the center of the village, and they gasped in horror at his words.

"Dammit. Not again." Samickle growled. Kai reached forward and inspected the woman's injuries.

"Oh, these are very grave," she noted, looking at her shoulders, "They need to be treated immediately! Quick, take her to my hut!" Oki shook his head.

"No. Lika will be traumatised if she sees her wounds. Plus, I think she attracts demons. It's not safe to keep her in the village. Take her to my hut. You can treat her there, Kai." The female Oina nodded hesitantly, and they ran to his hut outside the village.

Once there, Samickle carefully laid her on his furs, and stepped back to allow Kai to come forward and sit next to the woman. Oki stood a bit back, watching her work.

"Don't just stand there, you two! Samickle, grab some healing herbs for me! Oki, I need bandages, and some warm water to clean the wounds!" They both nodded and ran to retrieve what she asked of them. Oki sat next to Kai, carrying bandages, a bowl with heated water and a clean cloth. Kai thanked him and took the bowl and the cloth from him, beginning to clean the woman's injuries. Not much later, Samickle brought in another bowl, this one filled with a paste made with the herbs. Kai took it and spread the paste on the wounds, covering them with bandages afterwards. By the time she was finished, it was already dark and they were all tired. She covered the woman with one of the furs and stepped back.

"Oki, can you take care of her for now?" She asked after taking a deep breath, and Oki could see the sweat in her brows. He nodded, and she nodded back. "Okay. Make sure to give her some food and water if she wakes up. Tomorrow I'll bring her some of my clothes; she can't stay naked like this. I'm going home now, Lika is probably worried." The two Oina males nodded.

"Well, guess I'm going too. We'll discuss more of the demon matter tomorrow, Oki," he added, giving Oki a serious look. He nodded and they left.

Oki studied the woman's face, trying to see if he could recognize her, to no avail. He had never seen that woman before. Her long, white hair was very odd, he had never seen someone with hair that white before, and yet it reminded him of something. But he had other problems in mind; the demons were back. And this time, he might truly have to deal with them on his own.

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 **Lika is one cute lil cinnamon roll. Oki is very antisocial, poor thing. Kai, you're suffocating him with your love! Caham. See you next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3 - The Red Sun

**Sorry for the wait guys, this week has been very busy and I might not have time to write today OR tomorrow, but I promise I'll do it as soon as possible!**

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She woke up to a strange, herbal smell and the slightly tickly feeling of something on her skin. She opened her eyes slowly, and was met with a foreign environment and a strange woman doing something to her body. As soon as her brain registered all of this, she jolted awake and backed away from the woman, growling at her. The woman was fair-skinned and had light brown hair, tied in three ponytails; she couldn't see the woman's face, for it was hidden behind a deer-shaped mask, but she guessed she was surprised.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten yo-"

"Who are you?" She snarled, trying to look threateningly despite having no weapon in hand. "What were you doing to me?" The woman raised her arms in surrender and sat back down, pointing at her shoulders.

"You're injured. I was just treating your wounds. They're quite serious." She glanced at herself and gasped upon seeing her body covered in bandages and large bite-like marks on her shoulders, having no memory of a fight. "I must say, I expected you to wake up much later, you must be very strong. Who are you? I don't think I've ever seen you around Kamui before." She frowned; her memory was, apparently, very much blank.

"I… don't think _I_ know who I am." The other woman was silent for a moment before scratching her head.

"Well… that's a bit complicated. You must have some sort of amnesia. Maybe you hit your head? I guess you'll be Hanako (A.U: Japanese equivalent of Jane Doe) for now." she said before chuckling. Although slightly uncomfortable, she nodded at the name. Hanako took the moment to inspect her whereabouts. She was inside something of a hut; the ground was covered with mats and furs, and in the middle was a large fire. The hut had a strong, manly scent that did not match at all with the skinny, feminine woman before her.

"…is this house yours?" The woman seemed embarrassed at her question.

"Oh no, this is Oki's house. He's meeting with the village chief right now, and I came over to check on you. I'm Kai, by the way." Hanako stood up and walked towards the hut's s entrance, limping slightly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you.", Kai advised, coming to her aid. She ignored her and quickly regretted it once the cold hit her full on. Before her the landscape was pure white, with a few trees dotting it. The sky was dark, despite her body telling her it was still morning. Not long after she was back inside the hut, sitting by the fire to regain her warmth. Kai scuttled over carrying something on her hands.

"Here, I brought you some of my clothes. It doesn't help to go around naked like that." She nodded in thanks and put on the simple, moss green kimono, later covering herself with one of the furs.

While Kai busied herself with making a soup, Hanako heard the sound of another person walking into the hut. She turned around to see him, noticing his smell _did_ match the hut. The man was strong, thin, and dark-skinned. He too wore a mask, but one different from Kai's-his look more like a bear- and his hair was blood-red at the top, but faded to black as it reached a bit below his shoulders. He crossed his arms upon seeing her.

"So you're awake now… Kai, you really shouldn't let her go outside with those injuries and… no clothes." He said with embarrassment. She blushed- he must have seen her. Kai chuckled.

"She was curious, and is quite stubborn too. By the way, Oki," she started, her voice taking on a more serious tone, "I think her injuries might be more complex than we thought." Oki uncrossed his arms and sat to her left, staring at Kai in waiting. "She's lost her memories." He seemed slightly taken aback by this, and shifted his eyes to Hanako.

"Really? You can't remember anything?" She shook her head.

"Not even my own name, as it seems." He nodded slowly, deep in thought.

"I don't think you're from around here, you don't look familiar. Do you know of anyone else from out of Kamui that is here now?" Kai shrugged.

"No. And believe me, we would know. People tend to gossip about that." He hummed in agreement and Kai sighed. "I guess Hanako will have to stay here for now." Oki tilted his head at her.

"Hanako?" Kai shrugged again.

"We might as well call her something, right?" Hanako huffed.

"I'm still here, you know." Kai laughed, filling three bowls with her tasty-smelling soup.

"That's not very easy to forget."

"In anyway," Oki started, taking one of the bowls from the brown-haired girl, "I guess it's safe to assume that what wounded you was a demon." Kai gasped as she gave Hanako her bowl, her stomach suddenly very much awake.

"That's right! She was being attacked when you found her, right?" Oki nodded, and Hanako frowned.

"You saved me?" The masked man scratched his head.

"Well, yes. I found you in Yoshpet, surrounded by a group of demons." She took a few gulps of it-thank the _gods_ for food- before turning to Oki.

"Where is Yoshpet?"

"Oh! I know!" Kai exclaimed, sitting next to her with her bowl. "Why don't I take you there? Maybe it will jog your memory, or perhaps the Poncles might know who you are!" Hanako frowned at the word but said nothing. The masked man rested his head on his hand.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? There might be other demons left there, and as I said, I think she attracts them." Kai bit into her spoon, deep in thought. Suddenly, she exclaimed.

"You just have to come with us, then! If any demons appear, you can handle them, right?" Oki crossed his arms.

"…Yes." The brunette finished her bowl within seconds, leaving the other two to stare in astonishment.

"That's it then! Finish eating you two; we're leaving for Yoshpet!

Throughout the walk to Yoshpet, Hanako busied herself taking in the region, trying to find anything that sparked her memory. Unfortunately, _everything_ seemed vaguely familiar; even the strange masked duo, especially the man. There was something about him that left her with a headache.

As they entered the forest, everything seemed to go darker. It was silent, apart from the distant, eerie sounds, even though the trees still moved with the wind.

Despite the chills the place sent to her spine, it too looked familiar to her. She was brought back to reality with a gasp as the Kai and Oki suddenly turned into wolves, their colours matching the tones of the clothes they wore. Her headache seemed to worsen upon seeing the transformation, but she kept this to herself.

"Sorry about that, it's just faster this way," The brown wolf apologized, her voice recognizable though deeper. Oki, you should probably take her with you." There was a moment of silence before what seemed like a sigh from the other wolf, which then turned sideways from her, waiting. Scratching her head, Hanako mounted the wolf. It wasn't exactly comfortable, not just because it a bit embarrassing but also because he seemed to tense under her, and she was pretty sure it wasn't just her weight. As Kai raced onward, they were forced to follow her, Hanako struggling not to fall. Of all the things she had seen that day, _that_ was the most foreign.

They ran deep into the forest, stopping from time to time at unique spots that she might remember, but Hanako ended up shaking her head at all of them.

"Well," Kai started, "I suppose we should try Ponc'tan, then." With a nod from Oki, they left once more.

Half an hour later, they stood at a strange clearing, its middle completely different from the rest of the environment- while it had so far been dark, eerie, and cold, this part was warm, the sun reaching down upon the green grass and the colourful plants. In the centre of the clearing was a small, tree stump, with a few branches and a hole in the middle. Kai and Oki shifted back into their human forms and Kai reached forward, crouching in front of the stump. She motioned for Hanako to join her, and she obliged.

"This is Ponc'tan, home of the Poncles, small little creatures of the forest. One of them has recently come back, so maybe he'll know who you are." She nodded, and Kai tapped the stump.

"Hello? I'm sorry to bother you, but can Issun please come outside for a moment?" The name sent a spark of pain to her head, but she ignored it. Everything was quiet for a moment, leaving Hanako to wonder if the other was crazy. She was proved wrong when a small, green ball of light bounced forward from the stump, a humanoid shape barely visible. He jumped onto Kai's hand, his light turning red.

"What is it now, Kai? I'm busy here, y'know? Got lots of god propaganda to make!" it said. Hanako was paralyzed in shock, saying nothing as the Poncle turned towards her. Everything suddenly seemed hazy and painful, and she couldn't hear what they were saying to her. She felt her body growing weak as her vision darkened; the last thing she saw was Kai, reaching forward to grab her. She was sure she was fainting until her vision returned, but it was to a different sight.

She was somewhere above the clouds, seeming to float. In front of her was a man, sporting a pink and purple outfit. His hard was hidden behind a strange, hawk-headed garment, with flowing wing-like cloak in the back. He played a flute, it's soft tune reaching through to her. As he played, her memories started coming back to her. All of them. When he stopped playing, he turned to her with a smile.

" _It's time for the sun to shine again, ma chérie_." Her vision quickly grew dark again.

When she recovered her senses she was once again in Yoshpet, Oki holding her as Kai inspected her face. The woman sighed in relief upon seeing her open her eyes.

"Oh, thank the gods! Are you alright?" Releasing herself from Oki's hold, she stood up and looked straight into the sun, raising her hands towards it and closing her eyes. The others gasped as a blinding light suddenly took her form. When the light vanished, she was no longer the same. Her skin was filled with red markings, her eyes shining a bright red. The kimono she was lent was now white with a red sun pattern. The tips of her white hair were black, and on top of her right hand floated a green, burning disk. The Oina fell to their knees upon recognizing her, the Poncle too shocked to follow.

When it was all done, she turned to them, emanating an aura of divinity.

"I am Okami Amaterasu, goddess of the sun, origin of all that is good and mother to all the world. "

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 **Wow, that was... fast. And probably a bit confusing, sorry! Don't be afraid to ask anything or give me tips, God knows I need some xD**


	4. Chapter 4 - Setting Sail

**Ehhh, yeah. I tried to keep the whole color-titled chapters thing going, but it's not really working anymore. Sorry. Maybe I'll find another cool chapter title idea someday. I haven't really proof-read this, so please tell me if you see anything off.**

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"That's not funny, y'know!" Issun uttered, but even he could not deny that the woman before them could be none one but Amaterasu. "How do I now you're not some faker?" The goddess huffed, crossing her arms.

"Let's see. When we first met, you were shuffling through the robes of a sprite! Is that proof enough?" Issun gasped, his light turning red.

"H-Hey, don't go spreading that stuff around, Ammy! That's private!" Both Oina laughed, and Ammy smiled.

"So you believe me now?" The Poncle bounced his way up to her hand, and she held him at face level.

"I suppose, yeah. So what you doin' here so soon? And in… _that_ body." He asked, making her laugh; if she had learnt something from all the time they travelled together, it was that pretty ladies made him choke.

"I didn't exactly plan to come here like this," she started with a frown. "Orochi is back." They all gasped, and she nodded grimly. "He attacked the Celestial Plains and stole my powers, forcing me down here again. He's planning to take over the world again." Issun unsheathed his tiny sword, Denkomaru, from its hold.

"Not if we can help, right, Ammy?" She nodded, determination clear on her face.

"The thing is, I lost the brush techniques again and although I am stronger now thanks to everyone's belief in me, this form isn't really suited for fighting. I'm not sure I can be quite as strong as before." They stood silent for a moment.

"I'm sure we can find some way," Kai joined in, taking a step forward. "There has to be away, right?" Ammy nodded with a smile.

"Let's get out of this forest first, I want to see Wep'keer again.", she told them and they nodded, soon leaving Ponc'tan behind.

When they were out of the forest, Kai ran ahead to tell Samickle of her coming- it wasn't everyday they received a god in their midst, and this time, they could treat her as she deserved. Oki seemed unsure of whether he should follow or not, but ended up staying with Ammy and Issun.

They arrived in Wep'keer to a great ruckus as the tribe tried to prepare themselves in such short notice. Samickle and Kai stood in the middle, coordinating everything. The chief gasped upon seeing them arriving, hurrying everyone to run behind him and kneel. Ammy smiled upon seeing all the masked faces bowing to her in respect. With a wave of her hand, they all stood again.

"We are most honoured to receive you again, Amaterasu," Samickle spoke, his head held high. "The last time you came, we didn't know about you, and didn't treat you as we should. I hope you can forgive our insolence and accept our warm welcome now." Ammy chuckled. From the group of Oina, a small form forced its way through, jumping at the goddess, causing the others to gasp.

"Doggie! It's you! You came back!" Lika exclaimed, and Ammy hugged her back. "You're not doggie anymore though…" The goddess laughed at the little girl, noticing Samickle's distress.

"There's no need to be so formal, Samickle. Please, treat me as a friend, not as a goddess. I'd feel much more welcomed this way", she said, smiling at Lika. He stared at her in surprise, clearly not expecting that.

"W-well, uhm, alright. Since we didn't know you were coming, we didn't really have much time to prepare anything for you… apart from one thing." Lika went to her sister's side and Samickle stepped aside, allowing her to see old man Kemu, coming down from the upper parts of the village carrying something in his hands. Kai met him halfway and helped him walk towards Ammy; upon approaching her, he laughed.

"They might not have known who you were, but I did. And I knew you would come back one day, so I told our artisans to make this, as a repayment for saving us five years ago." The object was wrapped in cloth, and when she unwrapped it she gasped.

"Oh, Kemu… this is…" She mumbled, amazed by the beautiful mask before her. It was like the Oina's, but her own face looked back at her; a white wolf with red markings. "Is it really okay for me to have this? I mean, the masks you wear part of your tradition, right? Isn't it wrong for someone from outside to have one?" Samickle crossed his arms, head tilted to the side.

"Technically, yes. The thought of an outsider having an Oina mask is unforgivable. But you're not just anyone, Amaterasu. And you saved the whole village before." Kemu cut in with a chuckle.

"Not to mention that you're both human and wolf too. No one could be a better candidate than you." Her smile was wide upon receiving such great honour. She bowed, holding the mask close to her heart.

"Thank you all for this amazing gift. I will treasure it dearly."

A great fire was lit on the centre of the village; large wooden tables were brought outside, as well as floor cushions. All the Oina sat around the fire as some of the women prepared a feast; Ammy talked with Kai and Kemu while Issun and Lika played. The Oina told her about some of the latest occurrences in the villages, as well as what they'd heard about the rest of Nippon. Ammy listened intently; glad to hear about how everyone was peaceful and happy. She frowned to herself, realizing it would end again soon, with the demons coming back.

When everyone finished eating, she stood up and motioned for them to stay on their seats.

"I have news to share, but unfortunately they're not good. At all." Silence took over the tribe. "As some of you might have heard, the demons are back," she told them with a grave voice, the Oina gasping and whispering among themselves. "The Celestial Plain was attacked, and now, I fear they will now attack throughout Nippon once more. I am, however, determined to deal with them once more. I will not let any demons harm the people I love. I will do my best to protect all of you, I swear. As long as you all still believe in me and send me strength with your prayers, I will be able to cleanse Nippon from the demons once again." The whole village cheered and she bowed to them before sitting again. It was then that they heard shouting, and soon two Oina warriors came running into the village.

"Chief! There's… there's something out there! It injured two of our men and melted the ice from the frozen lake!" Screaming and panicked voices could be heard throughout the Oina. They all stood up, some hurrying to help the children back inside the huts, some running to get weapons.

"No!" The goddess screamed as loud as she could, causing the Oina to stop on their tracks. "I will not allow any more of you to be harmed. I will deal with this myself." Oki quickly stood up, sword in hand.

"I'm coming with you." Amaterasu opened her mouth to speak, but he stopped her. "Don't bother trying to tell me to stay, I'm going. I owe you my life, and you look like you need help. I'm going too."

"And so am I!" Issun joined in. "Don't even think of leaving me out of this, furball! I'm not gonna let you kick ass all one!" Amaterasu sighed, but nodded with a smile.

"I didn't really expect you to stay. Come on then!" Oki shifted into his wolf form and Issun jumped on her head, and they left.

When they got outside, they saw some of the trees had been burnt to ash and the snow around the lake was all melted. Steam still clouded the air as they approached the lake. Sure enough, the frozen parts of the lake had been melted, ash from the trees turning the water a dark hue. They stood around the lake, ready to attack as they tried to locate the demon. Suddenly, hot water splashed on them and they turned to see a large, serpent-like demon rising from the lake. It reminded Ammy of Crimson Helm, it too having one of Orochi's heads, though the body was different. They turned to face him as he roared. Oki was the first to attack, attempting to strike his neck, but the scales were too thick and strong, his sharp fangs doing nothing on it. Ammy tried to deliver a few blows to his head with her Reflector, but it was no good. The demon roared again as if laughing, and delivered a breath of fire towards them; they had to run back so as to not be burned. Issun exclaimed, holding tightly to the goddess's hair.

"Ammy, you have to use Galestorm! Maybe blowing the fire will help!" Ammy shook her head.

"It's no good, Issun. I remember how to use it, but I don't have the power anymore. All it'll do is bring in a nice breeze." The Poncle scowled, unsheathing his sword and jumping at the serpent's head. He tried to stab the demon's eyes with it, but it was no more than a tickle. They kept trying to attack it until once again it prepared to blow fire at them. As Ammy tried to step back, she lost her footing on a broken piece of branch and fell to the ground, right when the demon delivered another wave of fire. She tried to cover herself with her reflector, and just as the fire reached her, something pink flew between her and the flames and blew them away. Oki took the chance and jumped at the serpent, thrusting his sword into his throat and piercing his skull. The demon howled in pain and fell back into the water, sinking to the bottom of the lake.

Ammy stood up and turned at the thing that had flown in front of her and smiled upon seeing her trusted friend.

"Ah, what would you do without me, chérie?" Waka said dramatically as she hugged him.

"Waka, you're here! How did you find me?" he chuckled and waved his hand dismissively.

"After your powers were wakened again, it wasn't very hard, mon bijoux. I just had to follow your aura and it let me straight here!" Issun huffed, jumping back to her head.

"The half-baked prophet is back too? Geez. Didn't think I'd see _you_ again." Waka gave him a sly smile.

"Neither did I, little Poncle. Neither did I." He turned back to Ammy, ignoring the glare the Poncle was giving him. "Chérie, I'm afraid we don't have much time for pleasantries. There are other demons out there, and they're already causing trouble. We have to leave as soon as possible if we are to fight them." The goddess nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right… well, let's do one last stop on Wep'keer to say goodbye and maybe grab some supplies and then we can be off." Oki approached them in his human form, giving one last look at the once-frozen lake.

"I'm coming too." Ammy frowned and Waka raised his eyebrows.

"Are you sure, Oki? Shouldn't you stay here with the other Oina? They might need you," Ammy pointed out. Waka nodded.  
"That's right, petit loup. Are you even allowed to leave?" Oki stared at Waka in what could only be guessed as a glare before turning back to Amaterasu.

"I'm sure. You could use my help, and I'm tired of staying cooped up here. I never left Kamui, I want to see what the rest of Nippon looks like." She smiled at him.

"Tag along then. Unless the others have anything against it?" Issun huffed and Waka gave a very clearly fake smile, but Ammy ignored. "Alright then." Oki nodded, and left the group to get his things while they made their way back to Wep'keer.

"Are you sure it's safe to bring him with us, chérie?" Waka asked her, a doubtful look in his face. "I mean, you know he has a bad temper. Not quite the agreeable fellow either. Must I remind you he stole his tribe's sacred sword?" The goddess glared at him.

"Waka, I don't wanna hear you say any of that, okay? I would trust him with my life." The blonde prophet rolled his eyes.

"évidemment, you saved his!" She glared at him before lightly slapping him in the head. He snorted, but stayed quiet.

Amaterasu went to explain the situation to Samickle as well as bid her farewell while Issun and Waka went to buy supplies. Neither was happy with this, but Ammy had told them they needed some 'bonding time' and she would not be convinced otherwise.

"You better not get in our way this time, blondie," Issun warned Waka from his spot in his head. The prophet huffed and threw him off with a flick, laughing with disdain. "Please don't annoy me, little imp. Go bother chérie or the masked warrior, yes?" Issun unsheathed Denkomaru and stabbed him in the neck. It was only a prick, obviously, but the prophet was not happy.

"How dare you-" they were interrupted by the sun goddess herself, staring at them with her arms crossed.

"You two aren't fighting, are you?" She asked, her words a silent threat. Waka smiled brightly at her.

"Never, chérie. We were but discussing a few items, that's all." Issun hopped to her head with a huff.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's just go." After gathering everything, they left Wep'keer, making their way to Oki's hut, which was just on the way out of Kamui. The Oina warrior awaited them outside his hut, a leather bag thrown over his shoulders.

"Are we going?" He asked, joining the group. Ammy smiled at him.

"Yup! We're off!"

* * *

 **Wow that was a shitty way of ending a chapter amirite? by the way, I'm gonna try to add more french words to Waka's vocabulary. Might work, might not. I'll put the translation down here so you guys don't get lost. Man, this chapter was fun to write! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. if everything goes right, there are fun times ahead!**

 **Petit loup = little wolf, wolf cub**

 **Évidemment = obviously**


	5. Chapter 5 - Cherry Blossoms

**oh my god I ACTUALLY DID IT? WHAT? caham. here's the new chapter, sorry for the delay, I'm awful and all that shit. Also shitty title because why not?**

Too tired to walk all the way to Kamiki, they decided to set camp under the Guardian Sapling's shade, using Oki's furs as beds. Oki quickly retrieved some branches and rocks to make a fire, and Waka volunteered to cook them a meal with some of the food they had brought. It wasn't exactly the most comfortable lodging, but it wasn't bad either.

"Should we stand watch or something?" Issun asked from his place by the fire as he watched Waka cook. Amaterasu shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Do you think we might be attacked? I don't think a demon is suddenly going to come out of hiding and jump us." Waka took a sip of his soup before smiling in approval.

"True, but there aren't just demons out there, non? There are animals too. I would never be caught unprepared, of course, but I think some of you might not be so lucky." Ammy shrugged again. "I can stay the whole night, if you want. I don't really need much sleep." Issun glared at him and snorted.

"Wow, aren't ya something, blondie. What would we do without you?" He said with a dramatic pose. Waka gave him a sly smile, his eyes fixed quite murderously on the Poncle.

"en effet, mon ami. You'd surely have died to that serpent in the lake if not for my aid. But if you don't think you need me, I suppose you also don't need my food, oui? So you can stay without it!" He smiled at the end, and Issun's light turned red.

"Oh, you little-" Ammy picked Issun up and placed him next to Oki, who was too busy polishing his sword to notice.

"Enough of this! You two better learn to work together, or else I'll leave both of you behind and only bring Oki with me!" she motioned to the Oina, who finally looked around and noticed he was now part of the conversation. "Why can't you two be like Oki? Look, he's playing nice! He's not fighting anyone!" Waka huffed while he served the food.

"Évidemment, he doesn't even care if we are here or not, as long as he can kill something!" Oki stood up quickly and in a swift move, he slashed through the wooden bowl Waka was holding, drenching him in his own soup.

"Watch what you say, you bastard!" Oki snarled. Waka took a deep breath before rising and unsheathing his sword as well.

"You will pay for ruining my clothes and wasting my food, petit loup!"

"Stop calling me that!" With a growl, Ammy sent her reflector flying, the weapon hitting both of them in the head before returning to her hand.

"I swear to all the brush gods that if you three dumbasses don't stop bickering, I will throw all of you to the Underworld, and good luck on coming back!" She yelled, and the three in question looked at her in surprise, Oki and Waka dropping their swords. Oki huffed and sat back on his rug, returning to his polishing. Waka pressed a kiss to Ammy's hand, looking at her with pleading eyes.

"Pardon, chérie, I didn't mean to upset you." Ammy huffed at him, and he offered a bowl of food. "Here, a peace offering, alright?" She gasped with joy and took the bowl in her hands, quickly devouring the soup.

"Oh damn, Waka, how can I stay mad at you when you cook so well?" Waka laughed before retrieving the other two bowls.

"Well, since you destroyed my bowl, one of us will have to go without eating, loup. It might as well be you." Issun, who had been too busy laughing his ass off of the whole situation before, now perked up on his spot by a grumpy Oki.

"Wait, so I'm eating too?" Waka smiled, and the Poncle immediately felt uneasy.

"Mais bien sûr, mon ami!" He exclaimed in an over-affectionate tone. "Here, dig in!" He set the bowl down before the Poncle with great strength, the content spilling and covering him with soup. Oki snorted while Waka smiled proudly. Issun screamed and unsheathed his sword, but stopped upon noticing the goddess glaring at both of them with all her strength. Clearing his throat, Waka drank his soup in one gulp before leaving towards the river.

"Oh well I guess I better go wash my clothes now au revoir everyone" he mumbled hastily as he left. Issun threw the rest of his soup on his face before standing up.

"Yes I guess I'll go too haha bye guys" was all he said before leaving too. Oki slowly turned to the goddess and gulped, but she thankfully seemed to have calmed down. She sighed and sat next to him, and he prepared for the worst, but she only handed him her half-eaten bowl.

"Here, you can have mine. We all need our strength if we're going to fight demons." Oki took the bowl hesitantly before thanking her and beginning to eat.

They sat in awkward silence for a few moments before Ammy broke the ice.

"So, uhm, Oki, do you miss the cold already, or…?" She asked, shifting nervously on her seat. The Oina scratched his head.

"A-a bit, yes. It's very different out here. A lot warmer then I'm used to."

"Oh, but it's not your first time out of Kamui, right? You went through the Spirit Gate, after all." He nodded, placing the now empty bowl by his side.

"True. But I didn't really get to experience it. I had too much on my mind at the time to notice, I suppose…" He tensed all of a sudden, and Ammy watched him, wondering what was wrong.

"I never truly thanked you for what you did, Amaterasu. You saved my life, and you helped me find my way again when I lost it, before I could hurt anyone. It really means a lot to me." For one moment, the goddess wished she could see his face, for his words sounds so earnest and humble that his eyes must have shone. She gave him her warmest smile.

"You always had the potential to be a great warrior, Oki. You only needed a little light." He stared back at her for a moment before turning away as Waka and Issun returned, soaked to the bone.

"You two look like you've ben Watersprouted!" Ammy laughed at the sight, and Issun huffed angrily.

"Well, we didn't really have time to bring another pair of clothes, okay? Geez!" Waka was still surprisingly proud, even though his walk toward his bed was followed by a sloshing sound. Ammy laughed even more, but he seemed unfazed.

"Bien, I think it's about time you rest, non? I will stand watch, since my clothes are far too wet for me to sleep anyway." Issun simply snuggled by Ammy's side contentedly.

"Won't bother me. I got furball here to keep me warm, right Ammy?" The goddess eyed him suspiciously before nodding and laying on her improvised bed. She looked over and was surprised to find Oki sleeping with his mask on. _I guess they're_ really _rigid about that stuff_ , she thought to herself.

When the sun rose, so did Amaterasu. She woke up to a strange, uncomfortable feeling of something inside her robes. Still half-asleep, she tried to reach for whatever it was and take it out, but was surprised upon hearing a small groan from the thing. Sitting up in a matter of seconds, Ammy grabbed the Poncle and threw him off her.

"Hey! What'd you do that for?" Issun groaned, standing up. Amaterasu threw him a murderous stare, a dark aura unbefitting of the goddess of the sun around her. Issun gulped and stood still, waiting for his punishment.

"Issun," she said, her voice dark and threateningly. "If I find you inside my kimono again, I will squeeze you and make Poncle juice out of you." The small Poncle went to hide behind Oki's sleeping form, but the warrior rolled on top of him just as he did. Hearing Issun's cries of pain, he awakened and rolled away, sitting cross-legged.

"Whatever were you doing under me, Issun?" There was a mix of irritation and curiosity in his voice.

"Running away from murder lady over there," Issun answered, pointing to a huffing goddess.

"If I killed you, it'd be a merciful sacrifice, after what you did." Oki slowly turned his head back to the Poncle.

"… What exactly did you do?" Issun looked away in embarrassment.

"I may or may not have felt kinda cold during the night and, y'know, snuggled up between her rack…" The Oina stared at the Poncle, and Issun imagined his eyes were wide behind his mask.

"You did _what_?" They heard a huff from above the tree and found Waka sitting on one of the Guardian Sapling's branches, staring down at them with disapproval.

"What did you expect from that perverted Poncle, chérie? If I were you, I'd keep him at least ten meters away from your body. Ne est digne de confiance." Issun growled furiously at him.

"Shut it, whatever it was you said!" Waka snorted, jumping down from the tree.

"Bien, shall we get going?" Ammy stood up, fixing her kimono.

"Where are we going again, chérie?"

"Kamiki village." Waka gave her a hesitant look.

"…Must we really? Do you think it's vital to visit that place? I don't we should delay ourselves too much, non?" She stared at him with an almost puppy-like look.

"But… I haven't been there in so long… I miss my friends…" Waka rolled his eyes, but before he could say anything, Oki interrupted him.

"I think it would be prudent to check it out. They might know something about other attacks, or even have been attacked themselves. It's worth at least a glance." Ammy gave him her brightest smile, and Oki was taken aback.

"Yes! See? We should go to Kamiki!" Issun jumped onto the goddess' shoulder.

"C'mon, blondie, don't be so grumpy. Live a little!" Waka gave him a glare before sighing.

"Bien, but let's not stay too long." Issun and Ammy cheered.

"Let's get going then!"

It was still high morning when they arrived at Kamiki; the villagers way too busy to notice the odd group. In the five years Amaterasu had been gone, the village hadn't changed much, apart from a few new houses she could spot. The sakura-filled breeze still blew the same as before, and Ammy smiled fondly at the sight.

"We should visit Sakuya." The rest of the group turned to look at her.

"The tree spirit? I agree. She should know more about what's going on."

"Aaah yes, Sakuya, my first love..." Ammy snorted at the Poncle's comment.

"Keep it to yourself, 'kay?"

As they neared the villagers, Waka turned to Ammy.

"I don't think you should go walking around in plain sight, or we'll never leave this place. You need to hide somewhere or disguise yourself, chérie," he advised. The goddess thought to herself.

"What about the mask from the Oina tribe?"

"I think it's still pretty obvious that it's you, Amaterasu," Oki commented. And she sighed.

"Pas de problème. Give it here." Ammy handed her mask to the prophet, who fiddled with it until the mask shone for a moment. "There. I placed a Moon Tribe enchantment on it. Now it should attract less attention towards you, mon bijou. Try it." Ammy placed on the mask and approached Mushi's mother, still tending her turnips.

"Uhm, hello there!" She greeted, and the middle-aged woman turned to her with surprise.

"Oh! Are you one of those Northerners? Welcome to Kamiki! Just be careful around my turnips, alright?" Ammy chuckled before nodding and returning to the group.

"It worked! She thinks I'm Oina!"

"Magnifique! Let's continue on to Sakuya then."

They climbed the hills leading to Sakuya's tree, and Ammy couldn't help but smile at every glimpse of her beloved village. She had spent such a long time there, both as Shiranui and Amaterasu, gaining it a dear place in her heart. Sakuya's tree looked even prettier than before –perhaps now that they believed in Amaterasu, they also looked up to their guardian even more than before. As soon as they stepped through the arch, the entrance to Nagi's cave appeared and with it so did the spirit.

"Ah, Amaterasu, origin of all that is good and mother to us all, it is good to see you back in these lands. And in full form, no less. However, you do not come for leisure, isn't that right?" Ammy stepped forward, removing her mask.

"You're right. Unfortunately, there are once again demons threatening to ruin the peace I restored. Do you know anything, Sakuya?" The tree guardian flew down towards Amaterasu, a troubled look on her face.

"It is hard to say. It seems some of my Saplings might have been corrupted once more, and thus I cannot be sure of the safety of those places. However, I do believe Agatha Forest is in grave danger. There is an evil mist coming from there, and I do not know what causes it. It would do us all well if you went there and vanquished whatever this evil is." Ammy nodded, a grim but determined look on her face.

"Thank you Sakuya. That's very helpful. And don't worry, I'll be sure to heal your Saplings too." The tree spirit smiled at her.

"Still as generous as ever, I see. Amaterasu, may the fresh scent of flowers protect you always." With a graceful bow, she was gone.

"There you have it. We should go to Agatha next, then," the Poncle said. Oki nodded.

"It this forest is in grave danger, then we should move fast. There's no time to waste here." She nodded, but with a sad sigh.

"It's a shame. I really wanted to visit everyone. But I guess I'll have to do it another time." She placed her mask again and they walked back to the main part of the village.

Ammy sighed sorrowfully, her eyes travelling through the whole village.

"We can come back later, if you really must, chérie," Waka told her, and she smiled at him.

"Thank you." Turning back towards the village entrance, she placed her arms on her waist. "So! Are you guys ready to kick some ass?"

 **well shit, that was something. What do you think, guys? Was it too anime-ish? I hope not. Anyway. I'll try not to take as long to write the next one :P**

 **Glossary thingie:**

 **en effet - indeed**

 **Mais bien sûr - but of course**

 **Ne est digne de confiance - untrustworthy, not worthy of trust**

 **Pas de problème - no problem**

 **by the way, if any of you unlike me actually know french and notice something is off, please don't hesitate to tell me and I'll fix it ASAP!**


End file.
